Pervaiz Elahi released only to be rearrested

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Former Punjab chief minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi was again arrested after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) released him.

The Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Islamabad, on Tuesday arrested Pervaiz Elahi. Earlier, the PTI president was arrested under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO).

The Capital Police spokesperson said that Elahi was arrested in connection with case number 3/23. He said Elahi was taken into custody from the main gate of Police Lines Headquarters, Islamabad.

The FIR number 3/23, under which the CTD took action against the PTI leader, was registered on the 18th of March, 2023 under Section 7 ATA, 395/ 380/ 435/ 440/ 506/ 427/ 148/ 149/ 186 and 353 of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against 76 leaders and activists of the PTI, including Ali Amin Gandapur, Ali Awan, Murad Saeed, Shibli Faraz, Hassan Niazi, Umar Ayub, Asad Umar, Amjad Khan Niazi, Hammad Azher, Khurram Nawaz, Jamshed Mughal, Amir Kiani, Farrukh Habib, Dr Shahzad Wasim, Lt Col (retd) Mohammad Asim, Umar Sultan and Asad Qaisar, but the name of Elahi was not mentioned in the FIR.

The police said that a large contingent of Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and officials in plainclothes took the former Punjab chief minister into custody and shifted him to the CTD police station.

Earlier, the IHC suspended the detention of Elahi under 3 MPO and ordered the Islamabad police to release him. IHC Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri heard the plea that sought the declaration of Elahi’s detention under the 3 MPO order null and void. The 3 MPO order was issued by the Islamabad district magistrate.

The court also issued a notice to the Islamabad deputy commissioner, summoning him to the next hearing. The court directed Elahi to avoid giving any statement until the next hearing. It also summoned Elahi to the next hearing. The hearing was adjourned till September 12.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered the chief commissioner and the Islamabad IGP to produce Pervaiz Elahi in the court today (Wednesday).

It is pertinent to mention here that the court of Justice Amjad Rafique had issued a contempt notice to the Islamabad IGP. Later, the bench of Justice Amjad Rafiq was changed. After Justice Rafiq, Justice Mirza Waqas Rauf heard the petition filed by Qaisra Elahi for the recovery of her husband, in which sessions judge Attock and the deputy superintendent of jail appeared in court. However, the sessions judge did not produce Elahi in court.

During the course of hearing, the court asked the sessions judge, “Elahi was handed over to Islamabad police on Monday at 11 o’clock, when did you reach the jail?” The sessions judge said when he reached the jail in the afternoon, Elahi was not there.

The public prosecutor informed the court that after the check-up, Elahi was shifted to the Police Lines, Islamabad, which had been declared as sub-jail. The court summoned the relevant CPO and DPO who didn’t turn up. At this, the court ordered initiation of contempt of court proceedings against them. Later, Justice Waqas ordered the Islamabad commissioner to produce Elahi on Wednesday. The court also summoned the IGP and commissioner in their personal capacity.